Well, it is Friday and that means its Random Thoughts Of The Week time.

This week I want to talk about only one thing.

And it is over bulking.

I want to talk about this for two reasons.

First, I was reading a post on one of the more popular bodybuilding sites on the web and they mentioned a particular bodybuilder, who I won’t mention because I have talked about him a lot already.

They were saying that he bulks up too much in the off season.

And secondly, because winter is here and for most bodybuilders that means bulk-up time.

So you might be thinking,

What is wrong with bulking up?

Nothing, if and this is the big point.

Only if it is not taken to the extreme.

For example, let’s say you stayed on a pretty solid diet all the way through summer, but then the minute it got colder you ate everything in sight for two months.

So here you are in the middle of winter probably up twenty-plus pounds from where you ended the summer at.

This wouldn’t be so bad, if you were a professional bodybuilder, who had exceptional genetics, and takes some of the good stuff you cannot find at your local supplement shop.

I say this because, a lot of what they would gain would be muscle and second even if they did gain twenty pounds of pure fat, with their special supplements it makes it easier for them to burn-off the fat.

However, if a natural trainer did the same thing,

He would have to starve himself when winter was coming to an end,

Just to get back in shape for summer.

Plus, because he needed to go to extremes, he would lose a ton of muscle in the process, so any gains he might have made during his winter bulk would have been lost.

My point here is to be careful this winter,

Yes, enjoy yourself and have some sweets and stuff, but do not let it get out-of-hand.

Because you will pay for it, come the end of winter.

UNTIL NEXT WEEK

STAY THOUGHTFUL

Anyone who knows me knows that I really don’t like training my arms.

I know this might seem crazy to some, but it really is the truth.

However, I know most young men love training their arms, even though training your arms really is not the correct way to get bigger arms.

So I thought I’d write up a post on the proper way to curl, since most people who curl turn it into some weird exercise that does almost nothing for the arms.

First, right from the beginning I’d like you to start curling with an empty bar.

Yes, you will have to swallow your pride.

The reason I want you to start your curls with an empty bar is because most people use FAR too much weight, thinking that using more weight means more muscle growth.

The fact is, only when you ca use more weight with correct form will it do something for your arms.

Swinging up tons of weight will do nothing for you, except maybe getting your injured.

O.K.

So grab what ever bar you like to use for curling, then flex your biceps and lock your wrists and Slowly begin to do a curl.

Yes, you must keep your biceps flexed throughout he lift and you must do your curls without jerking or swinging.

Do the reps smoothly and in control, but not so slow that they would be considered super slow reps.

At the top, flex your biceps hard and then SLOWLY lower and get ready for another rep.

SOME POINTS

The reason I wanted you to lock your wrists is so you don’t cheat by bending your wrists.

With curls, you must learn to feel your muscles (the biceps) working.

Yes, you will need to use less weight, but think about this for a second, where do you want all the stress to be, on your lower back, shoulders, legs, or your biceps.

Of course your biceps.

So from now on when you do your curls, you must follow these two rules.

If you cannot keep your wrists locked throughout the movement then the weight is too heavy.

And, if you can’t keep your biceps flexed throughout the lift then the weight is too heavy.

Which means you must lower the amount of weight that you are using for curls.

It goes without saying that you should also keep your back straight and not swing the weight up, but you already knew that right?

CONCLUSION

The truth of the matter is that doing curls will not do much to help you build big arms, but I know that most young men will curl away in hopes of building a massive set of arms.

So I figure, if they curl the way I listed above, they will, at the very least, reduce the trauma to the rest of their bodies, by continuing to curl the wrong way, with too much momentum.

UNTIL NEXT TIME

THINK GAINS

It’s Friday, and that means another Random Thoughts Of The Week.

Up first I want to talk about Dennis Wolf.

Yes, I’ve talked about him a lot, but that is only because, he was supposed to contend for the Mr. Olympia title this year.

Flex did an interview with him in Muscular Development this month and I will say this.

I totally agree with Dennis and other people on the boards who said this before the Mr. Olympia, when he said is going to dumb Chad.

I would too.

The other thing Dennis has to remember is, and if I remember correctly, Flex brought this up at the end of the interview, if he places high in his next contest or wins it, everyone will be saying how great he is again, so don’t worry Dennis you are only one contest away from being back on top.

Up next, I want to talk about Lee Priest.

I am glad to see that he is going to be competing again.

I never felt like he was given a fair shake, but this is just my opinion.

Regarding the 202 division, and if Lee can do well in it.

It is hard to say, because there are a lot of very good bodybuilders who compete in it.

Kevin English and Dave Henry to name just two.

But Lee competed with the best-in-the-business, back in the nineties, so he know exactly what he needs to do to come in and make a great first impression.

Lastly, I want to make a comment about Bill Starr’s latest column in Ironman.

Mr. Starr, talks about keeping your wrists and elbows injury free.

One point I want to make about the forearms is,

Most people don’t not realize how impress a bowling ball pin set of forearms are.

I know first hand how impressive they can be because I knew a guy with absolutely huge forearms.

Those things were massive and they were seriously impressive.

However, you rarely if ever see an impressive pair of forearms anymore.

Well, that raps up another RANDOM THOUGHTS OF THE WEEK.

I HOPE THAT EVERYONE HAD A VERY HAPPY AND HEALTHY THANKSGIVING!

UNTIL NEXT WEEK

KEEP TRAINING

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYBODY!

Today I would like to share with you an exercise that I wish I had done more of when I was younger.

And this is.

Chin-ups.

I know chin-ups are not fancy, but believe me, they work your biceps hard and since most trainers avoid things like chin-ups and pull-ups because they are difficult, you will have an advantage over them.

Also, while most people realize that wide grip pull-ups work the lats, most people do not realize that pull-ups also work the back as well.

So not only do you get a great biceps workout, but you get some back work in at the same time.

This is not a bad thing in my book considering the fact that you do not see too many people with great backs.

O.K.

So we have established that doing chin-ups is a good thing, now I want to give you a variation on the traditional chin that will pump-up your biceps to major proportions.

THE WORKOUT

Before you attempt the workout you will find below, please work up to being able to do a solid set of twelve chins.

Once you can do this, then you may progress to the following routine.

O.K.

So after you are good and warmed up do a normal chin, and hold at the top for a count and then start to slowly lower your self down, but don’t go all the way down, stop at the half-way point.

Hold at this point for a second, and then pull your self back up, hold at the top for a count and then slowly lower your self down.

That is one rep.

As you can see, this method of doing chins is brutal, but very effective.

A POINT

Work up to being able to hold yourself in the half-way position for ten seconds before you pull your self back up.

Also, when you work up to being able to do a solid set of twenty reps like this, then you can start to add weight.

Lastly, be careful when you do chins or pull-ups, please to not swing or kick your legs to help you get the reps, and do not jerk.

Keep all the reps smooth and in control.

I would rather have you do one smooth, perfect rep, than five reps that were done in terrible form.

Jerking and swinging will only lead to a shoulder injury.

And believe me, this is the last thing that you want.

CONCLUSION

I know doing chins this way is tough, but I know if you work up to being able to do some solid sets in this style, your biceps and back will explode with new growth.

UNTIL NEXT TIME

HAPPY TRAINING

Well, another NPC Nationals has come and gone.

So I figured I’d give my opinions about the contest.

First you have to hand it to Seth Feroce.

This guy came from nowhere and he is now the light-heavyweight 2009 Nationals Champ.

And since, if I understand things correctly, all the class winner at the Nationals get a pro card.

He is now an IFBB pro.

Congrats Seth!

However, this should be a lesson to all of us, it does not matter where you came from, how much publicity you get, (or don’t), if you believe in yourself you can win.

Up next, I must say I feel sorry for Branden Ray, this guy he been close and everyone thinks that his pro card is right around the corner.

This is what I meant before when I talked about Trey Brewer, the guy was so hyped up that anything less than first, was considered a flop.

In all fairness though, Branden Ray was not hyped that much, and since he did lose his job at CNN, that had to play a role here.

So lets hope that Mr. Ray will be back and get that pro card.

A COMMENT

I know a lot of people tell the new pro’s to wait until they have more mass to compete, but I have to tell you, I would compete in the first show I could, especially if I had been an amateur for years.

I’d want to get my feet wet.

CONCLUSION

I’d like to wish all of the competitor’s congratulations, because even if you didn’t get your pro card, just being up on the stage is a victory.

UNTIL NEXT TIME

ROCK ON!

There is a book I have been reading called Born To Run.

It was penned by Christopher McDougall, and is a fantastic book.

The trouble for me though is not with the way the book was written but with what it covers.

The book is about the Tarahumara Indians that live it the Copper Canyons in Mexico.

The run tons of miles and never get hurt and the trouble with all of this is this.

We try to take what they do and copy it.

But there is a big problem with this approach.

The Tarahumara grow up in the Canyons, that is where they live, and run over those Canyons their whole lives.

The way they run, what they do, and how they live, is not some kind of fad.

It is their life.

There is a saying; the body becomes its function.

And to me, this is what happens with them.

They grow up there and their bodies adjust, and get used to living there.

But as I said above, we come along and try and copy the way they run and all that, but you just cannot try and do stuff like that.

O.K.

I know what people will say, well, you do not have to go crazy with it, but you can try and integrate some of their stuff into your current running program.

Sure, and I totally agree with this approach.

But who has the patience for this.

I know I don’t.

I would plunge right in and pay the price for it.

Rant Over.

UNTIL NEXT TIME

DON’T STOP

Everyone always likes to compare.

Like in football it is always, how do you think those Niners teams of the eighties would have stacked up to the champs of today.

I’ve also read the same in bodybuilding, although admittedly not as often.

And I think this is unfair.

Why?

Simple.

Times were different then and for the seventies bodybuilder, they did it with the equipment, training info, and diet info they had, at that time.

O.K.

I am not a prude; I know they also used those special supplements that you cannot find at your local health food store.

But the attitude was different.

When you read about the era, it seems like everyone was a lot more friendly and it was not so stressed out like it is now.

But now to the big point.

People say, how would have Arnold looked, or Sergio.

The question I never see asked is.

Would they have competed today?

By this I mean, with all of the differences in bodybuilding that there are today, plus, with all of the other opportunities that abound, would bodybuilding have had as much appeal to them.

I am not sure.

Although I must admit with Sergio’s genetics, what he could have achieved with today’s info would have been out-of-this-world.

A COMMENT

I know I bring this up a lot, but I think Muscular Development Magazine is doing a great service to bodybuilding, because they are showcasing today’s young talent.

I say this because, when people start thinking back to the past, the nineties always seem to come up.

And rightly so, with all the guys we had back then, it was a really good time for bodybuilding.

And maybe just maybe, Muscular Development Magazine is doing the same thing today with all of the young guys that they have in their magazine.

CONCLUSION

Sure, we will probably never be able to go back and relive the past.

But it is sure fun to try!

UNITL NEXT TIME

THINK BACK

With Friday comes Random Thoughts Of The Week, and this week I want to focus on one thing in particular and that is the Sacramento Pro 2009.

I would like to preface this by saying that these are my opinions and they are made from looking at photos online and not from being at the show.

With that said, let’s go.

First up is the winner Toney Freeman.

I’ve said it before about Toney, but this is the guy I would put front and center if I wanted to push bodybuilding into the big time.

The guy has it all, in my opinion, he is tall; he has a small waist, and wide shoulders.

What more could you possibly want?

Yea, some people would say, well he has his flaws, yes, but show me a pro that does not have a flaw.

Anyway, this would be the guy that I would make my showman.

Up next,

It was nice to see Pavol Jablonicky back on stage.

Yes, Mr. Jablonicky did not make the top ten, but that does not matter, because he has been around for a long time, and it was nice to see him back.

Also, I have to echo what I read on a popular forum, what happened to Darrem Charles?

The guy really has not come in great shape in a bit.

Good for Craig Richardson, he has been doing it for a while and to grab second, that is good.

Lastly, about the Sacramento Pro, I like Mark Dugdale and even though he didn’t make the top ten, he like Toney, if I was in charge, would be pushed more.

The guy has a physique that is not overpowering, one which can be seen by the general public as something to shoot for.

O.K

I am off my soap box

And that is all for this week.

UNTIL NEXT WEEK

KEEP WORKING

Today I want to talk about, yet another thing I wish I had done earlier in my bodybuilding career.

Wide grip pull-ups.

Pull-ups are done with your palms facing away from you.

The reason I bring this up is because wide grip pull-ups do a wonderful job of stretching out the shoulders and widening you out.

I know, people will disagree with me on this one, but I am a firm believer in this, especially when you are young, wide grip pull-ups will really help to widen you out.

This helps in a number of ways.

First nobody ever said, you know, my shoulders are too wide, and you know I wish I was born with narrower shoulders.

Even a guy as gifted as Phil Heath, has a flaw, and it is that he is not as wide in the shoulders as some of the other top guys.

I am not saying that you will be able to widen your shoulders out to massive proportions, but when you are younger you can do more widening then when you are older.

Next up with have the fact the wide grip pull-ups work the back.

Alright wise guy, you might be saying, I know they work the back.

O.K.

But hold on.

The reason I bring this up is because of the past Mr. Olympia winners.

Lee Haney won because of his back, Dorian won because of his back,

And Ronnie’s back, in it’s hey day, is considered one of the best backs of all-time.

Starting to build your back with wide grip pull-ups would not be a bad way to begin.

Lastly, the reason this makes for a great beginning is because most people avoid this particular exercise, because it is so hard.

So by working it from the very beginning you will be used to it, and more importantly, be able to do tons of pull-ups.

Nice.

Of course wide grip pull-ups have another advantage as well; they will give your biceps a nice workout as well.

After all, nobody has ever complained about having biceps that were too big.

Until Next Time

KEEP WORKING